I just returned from another road trip — this one a 36-hour roundtrip to Detroit. I went for a dinner associated with a professional conference, but took advantage of the brief time I had to do some sightseeing.

First stop was the World’s Largest Tire, located along I-94 in the Detroit suburb of Allen Park. The giant Uniroyal 3D advertisement is 80 feet tall and weighs 12 tons. This was actually the second time I had seen the tire, even though it was my first visit to Detroit. The tire was originally a ferris wheel built for the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, which I attended as a child. Nearly 2 million people rode the gondolas that circled the tire, where the tread exists today.

Next was the Largest Stove in the World (my God, Detroit has it all!). This giant 15-ton replica of an antique stove was created for the precursor of the World’s Fairs, the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Built by the Michigan Stove Co., the restored stove now resides at the Michigan State Fairgrounds.

Last stop was downtown Detroit at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Woodward to see the giant fist of a world heavyweight champion, a monument dedicated to Detroit’s own Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber. A pyramid structure suspends a bronze 24-foot-arm and fist 24-feet above the ground, weighing in at 8,000 pounds. Striking!

Wow! I think my personal favorite from this post it the replica of the giant fist. That is really cool, how people can say that they have a 24 foot replica of their arm hanging at an intersection? I really enjoy your fascination with “The World’s Largest things.

I am compiling information and pictures for a proposed children’s travel book of the 50 states. I’m looking for unique things for the MI page. Since kids like the “world’s largest…” of anything, I would like to know if the photo on this web site would be available for that purpose. I would use the proper photo credit with the caption. I look forward to hearing from you and thank you!